


Glad You Called

by orphan_account



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Diego Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Diego Hargreeves is a Good Brother, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs Help, No Incest, Protective Diego Hargreeves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:09:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25909399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: ”I’m not high Diego!” Klaus swallows hard again and there was another rustle as he adjusted the phone in his hand. “Look I just- I just need a ride-“ Klaus sighed, his voice lowering. Barely a murmur, as if he feared someone might hear him.“I think I need to go to the hospital.”
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 19
Kudos: 763





	Glad You Called

Diego isn’t sure what he expected when he gets the call from Klaus that rouses him from his sleep at 4 am. 

It sure wasn’t this. 

“What the hell Klaus- do you know what time it is?” Diego grumbled into the phone, rolling over to turn on the lamp next to his bed, the yellow artificial light filling up the small room and making him wince, his eyes fluttering closed. 

“Uh no actually I don’t- I uh-“ there was the faint sound of shuffling on the other end, then a faint chuckle. “Somebody took my phone I think.” 

“Klaus-“ Diego sighed, eyes turning up to the white ceiling above him. “I’m not giving you any money-“ 

“No! No- that’s not-“ Klaus paused, clearing his throat loudly, it rounded hoarse and painful. “I don’t need any money I just-“ he trailed off, clearing his throat again. 

Diego paused, waiting for an explanation, but was met with a heavy silent on the other end, he sighed and sat up, rolling his neck which cracked with the effort. But Klaus didn’t say anything, there was another brief moment of silence before Diego could here just the faintest of shallow breathing. He sighed again, 

“Just what Klaus?” He couldn’t hide the agitation in his tone, he loved his brother sure, but he didn’t love was the late night phone calls and surprise house visits. Too often has he had to save his brother from some trouble he’d managed himself into. Last time he had dragged Klaus barely conscious out of a bar, he had promised the man he wouldn’t come back the next time. Klaus had likely already forgotten. 

“I just- I just need a ride.” Klaus said quickly, his voice a little more quiet. It was odd, too often the taller man would be shouting. He never really knew how to keep quiet it seemed. 

“Klaus-“ 

“I know! I know!” He interrupted, voice edging almost on frantic. It would have worried Diego if it was anyone other then this brother. “I know you said last time but- look I’ve just gotten myself into a bit of a uh...predicament.” 

Diego was silent, his eyes fluttering shut as he sucked in a pained breath. He didn’t have the energy to deal with this today- 

“Diego please-“ Klaus’s voice cracked, just barely “ I can pay you back I promise I just messed up my ankle I think and I can’t really see straight and I really just need to get out of here-“ 

“Alright alright- just slow down” Diego groaned, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “Where the hell do you need a ride to? I’m not taking you to a dealer if you think-“ 

“No it’s not like that-“ Klaus murmured, sighing into the phone. “I need to go to a uh-“ he trailed off again, sounding unsure. Diego was tempted to just throw the phone across the room.

”I’m not high Diego!” He swallows hard again and there was another rustle as he adjusted the phone in his hand. “Look I just- I can’t do this right now. I just need a ride-“ Klaus sighed, his voice lowering. Barely a murmur. 

“I think I need to go to the hospital.” 

“What?” Diego sat up, alarm sparking in his chest. “What did you do?” 

“I didn’t do anything-“ Klaus bit back, not sounding nearly as feisty as usual, his voice was beginning to tremble. “I didn’t- I swear I just-“ Klaus’s voice broke off again, his breath hitching as a shaky whine tore itself from its throat. “I just need to go Diego please-“ he practically begged, voice low and desperate. 

“Alright alright-“ Diego took a steadying breath, getting up and starting to pull on his shoes. “I need you be honest with me Klaus- I want to help but if you’ve taken something you need to tell me-“ 

“I didn’t!” Klaus’s voice made Diego recoil, the tears in his voice now unbearably evident. “I was drunk but nothing heavy I-I swear. I don’t know what he gave me but-“ 

“Wait-“ Diego stilled suddenly from where had been trying to pull on his coat. A terrible sinking feeling pulling its way into his chest. “What do you mean you don’t know- Klaus did- did somebody drug you?” The concern in his tone was thick. The question hanging heavily in the air, a thousand more questions lingering painfully beneath it. Diego wasn’t sure he wanted to know, this was thin ice they were balancing on- 

“I-“ Klaus’s voice was barely a whisper. He cleared his throat again, the sound scraping against Diego’s mind as he now dreaded it’s implications. 

“Klaus-“ Diego spoke carefully now, trying not to break the ice, now crackling beneath his feet. He hated this- he hated how broken the other man sounded. Still though he tried to stay calm. 

“Klaus did somebody hurt you?” 

There was another heavy pause. Where all Diego could hear was shaky breathing. 

Then Klaus started to cry, and Diego felt himself falling down into freezing cold water. He wasn’t sure how he kept his voice steady as he rushed out the door, racing for his car. 

“Alright- where are you I’m on my way.” 

\- 

Diego knee the area, his work with the police had him more then acquainted with the more seedy areas of the city. Not to mention he knew Klaus had been there before. The drive there was silent and full of questions, as he drove likely a bit too fast to get to the address. As the phone booth appeared in the distance, Diego couldn’t help but feel relieved to see Klaus sitting next to the booth, seeming mostly conscious. 

“Klaus-“ Diego had rushed out of the car, racing over to his brother who just looked up to him with a tight smile. 

“Ah there’s my valiant taxi driver-“ His voice still crackled like it was sore. Klaus went to stand but immediately seemed to stumble and grimace, grabbing onto the phone booth for support as his other hand went to wrap around his stomach. Diego was there in an instant helping support him. 

“I thought you said it was your leg-“

”Yeah well-“ Klaus sucked in a painful breath, clutching at his side as his eyes fluttered shut. “Might have undersold the situation a bit-“ That appeared to be an understatement as Diego quickly darted his eyes over Klaus, who seemed to be missing his coat. Diego felt his stomach twist as his eyes flickered over bruises lining his arms and neck, the worst being the one ghosting around his right eye, dark and purple. Diego didn’t want to imagine what had happened elsewhere where he couldn’t see- 

He felt sick thinking about it. 

“Alright Cmon- lets go” 

Getting Klaus into the car had proved to be more difficult then they both anticipated, Klaus seemed to be wavering more and more as the time passed, the pain certainly beginning to take its toll. As Klaus made it into the back seat and went to sit down he nearly collapsed into the car, letting out a cry as he curled around his hurt side. 

“Hey I think you should let me look at that-“ Diego said quickly, reaching for Klaus’s shirt. Klaus immediately flinched back, eyes wide and breath hitching as he pressed himself further back into the seat. Diego froze, pulling back with wide eyes, his fist closing tightly on itself. 

_Oh I am going to kill whatever bastard-_

Diego pushes the thought down as Klaus started to let out this terrible wheezing sound, Diego carefully held his hands up.

“Hey- hey Klaus it’s alright I’m not going to hurt you alright? I just want to make sure you’re not hurt too bad Alright?” Diego carefully reached out and took his hand, in any other instant he would have been disgusted at the notion, but the fierce protectiveness bubbling in his chest had made it impossible to think anything of it. “See? It’s just me man- I just wanna see-“ 

Klaus seemed to stare at him for a few hesitant seconds before blinking some stray tears from his eyes and nodding quickly. He slowly reached down and peeled up the shirt. Diego carefully went to prod at the large bruise that had blossomed along his side, making Klaus wince and squeeze his hand, not that he minded. 

“Alright you look like you might have broken a rib or two- but you’ll be alright until we get to the hospital-“ Diego said softly, standing up to go move to the other side of the car before Klaus chuckled coldly. 

“Yeah a good steel toed boot can do that” He joked, the ghost of his usual cheeky grin just barely dancing across his features. Diego’s blood chilled at the comment, his hand tightening around the car door as he closed it. He itched for his knives then, savoring the thought of being able to drive them into whatever little rat was responsible for this. 

He’d show him some broken ribs. 

-

The car ride was quiet, Diego sat with his knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel. Klaus was laying in the back, the occasional sniffle breaking the silence. The anger in Diego’s chest only grew every time he glanced in the rear view, seeing Klaus curled up, looking hollow and broken and bruised, his arms tucked around him as he struggled to get in a decent breath without wincing. He was rubbing small circles on his arms, His fingertips and knuckles stained with blood and painted with bruises. 

Diego aches to think about how hard he must have fought. 

“Do you want...to talk about it?” Diego offered, stuck at a red light. Klaus looked like he was almost going to make a joke, but he just sighed and turned to look up at the roof of the car. 

“Not really.” 

The silence fell again. Diego felt helpless. He hated this whole situation, knowing the position Klaus must have been in, and that he hadn’t been there to help him. He might bitch about his brother but god help him if he wouldn’t do anything to be able to go back and stop...this. 

He had never been good at comforting, emotions weren’t really his strong suit. But still he’d failed to protect him, so now he figured he needed to make up for it. He carefully placed an open hand on the center console. Klaus seemed to eye it for a second, looking hesitant. Diego almost felt embarrassed for putting it out there- 

Then there was a small weight in his palm, shaky and cold, and Diego sighed. Staring ahead at the road, the silence stretching on again. 

“Thank you.” Klaus finally croaked, voice trembling like it did on the phone. “For coming- you didn’t have to-” 

“Of course I did.” Diego interrupted, gaze growing hard as he glanced at Klaus through the rear view. “You know that I wouldn’t leave you out there like that- Hell. I wish I could have- could have done more.” He hated the way his voice cracked there, his eyes just barely starting to sting. Klaus frowned, turning toward him. 

“Don’t- don’t blame yourself for this- it wasn’t on you it was-“ Klaus sucked in a harsh breath and looked back up at the roof. 

“Hey-“ Diego was surprised on how soft his voice sounded. He squeezed Klaus’s hand, just barely. “Wasn’t your fault either, you know that right?” 

He didn’t have to see Klaus’s face to know he was crying, the sound made Diego’s heart practically shatter to pieces. He tried to swallow down his own tears which were fighting its way up to his throat. 

“Hey Klaus man- I’m sorry-“ 

“I called them” Klaus murmured between choked sobs. “I tried to call the others but nobody answered-“ Klaus gasped for air, the combination of the tears and ribs making it hard to breathe. “then he took my phone and he-“ his voice broke off, incoherent mumbles falling into the broken cries. Diego squeezed his hand tight, staring ahead at the road as his own quiet tears slipped down his cheeks. Rage and hurt bubbled up in his chest as he ran his thumb in circles on the back on Klaus’s hand. 

He had time to get upset about this later, he’d missed his chance to be angry, now he knew he just had to be there, no matter how unbearable it felt. Struggling beneath the ice, trying to claw his way to the surface. But the thought only made him think of bloody fingernails and dirty alleyways-

Not now. 

As he pulled into the parking lot for the hospital Diego quickly went to the back door, crouching down next to Klaus and carefully grasping his shoulder, which made him flinch, just barely, shattering Diego’s heart just a bit more. 

“Hey it’s okay- I gotcha-“ 

Klaus collapsed into Diego, crying into his jacket as he wrapped his arms around his chest, looking unbearably small then as he wrapped himself around his brother. Diego tucked his head into his shoulder, jaw set and eyes damp as he ran a hand through Klaus’s hair, hating the damp and sticky feeling on his fingertips. 

“I’m here- I got you.” 

“I’m sorry-“ Klaus whined 

“Don’t apologize” Diego said quickly, planting a gentle kiss right In his hair. Klaus sunk into the touch, trembling in his arms. Diego sighed, eyes fluttering shut as he tried to pull him as close as he could without hurting him more. 

“You know I love you.. right Klaus?” Diego spoke, voice barely a whisper. Klaus bit down a sob and just nodded into his chest. 

“Good-“ He sucked in a harsh breath, the icy cold anger in his chest only being tamed by his brothers warmth, sleeping through his coat. He tucked that anger away for later. He knew he would need it. For now he just rubbed a small circle in his brothers back, trying to sound as steady as he could. 

“I’m glad you called.” 

Klaus didn’t answer, he didn’t have too. He just held on a bit tighter. The warmth between the two of them chasing off the unbearable cold that had crept between them both. 

Now Diego was just glad that he had answered. 


End file.
